Store a firearm in a handgun lockbox to keep your family safe

Properly storing a gun is essential. And while owners want to ensure it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands – like those of a child’s – they also want to have quick access to it in the event of an emergency. So how can they find a happy medium to safety and accessibility?

The answer: A lockbox. Tuffy Security Products is a leading manufacturer of lock boxes. Made from welded steel, their products are designed to safely store a gun in a home or vehicle.

“The security box can be removed from the sleeve and can remain locked closed during hand transport,” reads Tuffy’s website. “The system mounts anywhere there is available space and extra sleeves are available to allow the box to be secured in a sleeve mounted in the vehicle and also in the home or office.”

And while these lock boxes will clearly keep a gun safe and out of the hands of children, what about when an owner wants to quickly access the weapon inside? Tuffy offers an optional pushbutton combo lock that allows owners quick, keyless access to a gun. Where a child or criminal would be unable to crack a combination, within an instant an owner will have the lockbox opened and the gun in their hands.

These products are especially popular among law enforcement professionals. Whether a police officer is storing their gun in a patrol car overnight or keeping it locked away in their house while off duty, a lockbox is the ideal product to keeping a firearm safe.

“Nearly all firearm accidents in the home can be prevented when gun owners take simple precautions, and proper storage is the No. 1 way to help prevent accidents” said Steve Sanetti, NSSF president and CEO of NSSF. “Anyone who is going to own a firearm should respect it and secure it when not in use to help prevent firearm accidents and misuse.”

The foundation issued a number of tips to keep guns safe in and outside the home:

Always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, so if a gun happened to misfire, no one would be injured.

A gun should always be unloaded when an owner is not using it. Always check to make sure before storing and getting a gun out that it is not loaded.

Keep a finger off the trigger when holding a gun, and always keep the safety on when it’s not being used.

Get familiar with the weapons owner’s manual, knowing exactly how the firearm works, like how to safely remove ammunition.

Store in a location that children can not get to.

A gun lock can also be installed on the weapon, rendering it useless when not being used. The foundation suggests using both a lockbox and gun lock, not supplementing one for the other.

Educate family members on weapons in the home. Sit children down and explain to them the dangers of a gun and remind them never to touch it if it happens to be outside of a lockbox.

Be sure to properly clean a firearm after using it, and store it immediately after doing so.

Owning a gun is a big responsibility, so owners will want to take extra precautions when storing a firearm. Tuffy Security Products has everything an owner needs to ensure their gun is safe.